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The Misogyny and Racism Factories Behind Conservative Politicians
The current focus on the misogyny of Conservative men hasn’t come a moment too soon. In fact, it should have come decades ago. Tory politicians have historically come from — and continue to routinely come from — very peculiar backgrounds that are more likely to fill them with misogyny than much understanding of women. These same factories of cultural ignorance and emotional damage have routinely also churned out racist attitudes and a loathing for the very people they are meant to serve.
As a working-class kid born in London, I had lived in several places before I went to university. I was well aware of the far-right and had seen National Front and BNP graffiti daubed across walls and encountered the odd (very odd) skinhead with swastika tattoos. But I had never heard racist and misogynistic views expressed to my face until I was 18. The people confidently coming out with that crap were not National Front skinheads but privately educated young men (and sometimes women), who had been given every advantage in life yet were still driven by hatred, ignorance, fear and generation-spanning wilful stupidity.
Despite these peculiar flies in the ointment, I enjoyed university enormously and I was lucky enough to attend three excellent ones over a period totalling 10 years, while working. Over that time the attitudes…
